Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-03-05
RHODORA.

IN at Sault Sainte Marie and there was
hustle and confusion on the wharf, save
at the farther end where stood three gen
tlemcn leisurely talking, They had been
watching the boat as 1t came up the river
and were among the first to announce
that the smoke of the steamer had been
seen. Two of them wore the uniform of
the United States army; the third, q tall,
handsome fellow with tawny mustache,
was dressed in suit of gray tweed and
wore dark SLOUGH hat which he drew
down over his eyes every now and then,
as IL to shade them more effectually. The
least break in the dull monotony of garri
son life was welcomed as godsend, and
the three men had come down here purely
for amusement.
"Look, Halstead," said one of the
officers, plucking the sleeve of the man in
gray, "there's pretty girl"
The man addressed and the other officer,
Capt. Greene, looked upward and saw a
tall, finely formed girl standing by the
steamers railing. Her brown hair fell
in soft rings over low forehead, her
mouth was large but beautifully shaped,
and a row of pearly white teeth was dis
closed by her parted lips, her nose was
trine saucy, but her eyes-her eyes were
mystery.
"She is q stylish GIRL" said Capt
Greene, "but SO much depends upon the
eyes. Can't give an opinion until l see
her eyes, you know"
80 botherl" said Lieut. Rodney. "You
couldn't see her eyes from this distance,
even if she didn't have that thing up"
~ think she Is Detroit girl, " said the
man they called Halstead.
All three laughed at this, and Lieut..
Rodney said:
"You think it highly improper for q
young lady to be gazing around in that
manner through pair of opera glasses,
hence you Immediately set her down as a
Detroit girl-your bette noirer'
Exactly" replied Halstead slowly.
The laughter evidently attracted the
attention of the young lady, for she turned
her glasses in that direction; but as her
eyes fell upon the group the expression of
her face instantly changed to look of
disgust, and turning abruptly she entered
the cabin.
Each of the men noticed it. Not one
of them mentioned it. Each knew that
he could not be the cause of this disgust
81 can't see why you should have such
strong aversion to Detroit girls, said
Capt. Greene, turning to Halstead. They
are supposed to be remarkably pretty and
bewitching''-
"Don't, l beg of you," said Halstead,
holding up his hands deprecatingly.
"Ever since we came in have heard
nothing but Detroit girls, Detroit girls-l
suppose Wen get stack of them in
our regiment. They always marry in the
army. Detroit is the mother-in-law OF
the army. You can't tell me anything
abont them that don't know. wouldn't
care to meet Detroit girl"
A pair of large gray eyes with dark,
curling lashes were turned in wide aston
ishment upon Lieut.. Halstead as tall
girl in brown swept past him, ACCOM-
panied by handsome elderly lady, but
none of the group noticed the young girl
to whom they had given so much atten-
ton few moments since, and Halstead
went on: "Pcrhaps there are some excep-
lions to the rule, but doubt it."
"Ah," laughed Lieut.. Rodney, "Hal-
stead is preparing to slip in on an excep'
tion.n
"Nothing of the kind /" said Lieut. Hal
stead, and to prove it We'll take wager
that won't be introduced to a Detroit
girl this season."
"Takenr' they cried, and prepared tc
settle the amount of the wager.
Meantime Mrs. Black and herEdaugh
ter had arrived at the Hotel de Vile and
. been taken to their apartments, where
Blanche Rosenfelt burst in upon their
and after embracing them superlatively
seated herself, out of breath, saying: &C
Rhodora I'm so delighted you came! VIZ
have been here just two weeks, and It'll
distractingly lovely this year. Wen have
no end of fun"
! To which Miss Rhodora replied: sit j:
nice to see you, Blanche, but l am no
one bit glad we came. We've been herr
every summer since was born. lcouldn'
bear to get off the boat"
"But you IL like it immensely this year
The hotel is quite full and the people q
the fort are perfectly lovely; you'll b.
charmed with them and"--
81 won't. ! fairly hate every one o
thcmr'
"Why, they are all delightful people,
said Miss Rosenfelt, with an air of sur
prise. "They only came in from thos
horrid plains two months ago."
~ don't care They are miserabl
lot If it hadn't been for them nigh
have had lovely time this summer
needn't have come here-but they hav
II just spoiled everything. Iwish they'd &
back where they came from"
During this conversation Mrs Blacl
had gone to her room and Miss Rhodor
had Invested herself Of large halo ha
and pair of long tan gloves; then sh
had opened the closet door and counte
the hooks, had opened the bureau draw
ers, and finding things satisfactory an
her trunks not yet come she seated he1
self in a chair by the window and eS
. planned: "You see was to have visite
Bessie at Fort Porter this summer, an
we had made endless plans, when SUD
denly their regiment was ordered to eS
change places with this old thing, and a
our lovely times vanished. l begge
mother not to come to this poky place
but father is devoted to flshing-he neve
caught anything yet-and it isn't too ia
for him to run up here from Detroit; s
here we are. l know l shall have
miserable time"
}, "No, you WON'T" said her friend rea:
y suringly. "It's Just bewitching out o
the river in the moonlight, and here's
Lieut.. Rodney at the fort that's just tc